Railroad-crossing



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. J. MOXHAM. RAILROAD onossme.

No. 477,676. Patented June 28, 1892;.

WITNESSES.- INVENTOR fmue/l g MAM/ A T TORNE Y m: mums Pzrzns col. moTo-umm, msamcwn, n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. J. MOXHAM.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

N0. 477,676. Patented June 28, 1892.

IN VENTOR W A UNESSES $77M ATTORNEY m: "cams PTERS cu, PNOTO-LITML, WASHINGTON a. c.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. MOXIIAM, OF J OHNSTOl V N, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,676, dated June 28, 1892. Application filed September 22, 1891. Serial No. 06,496. :(No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern; Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. MOXHAM', of J ohnstown, in the county of Oambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulRailroacLCrossing, which invention is fully s-etforth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The objects of this invention are to provide a strong,safe, and durable crossing for strcetcars over or across steam-railroad tracks which can be put in place without disturbing the latter track and also to provide a strong and efficient guard for wheels passing over the steam-railroad track.

The invention will first be described in detail, and then particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in plan of the crossing. Fig. 2 shows in detail, enlarged, the corner of the crossing at the lower right-hand side of Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken through Fig. 2 at the line Y Y. Fig. 4 is a vertical crosssection taken through Fig. 2 at the line XX. Fig. 5 shows inplan, enlarged, partly in section, certain details hereinafter described. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section taken through Fig. 5 at the line Z Z.

In said figures the several parts are respectively indicated by reference-letters, as follows:

The crossingconsists of two outer portions A A and the center portion B between the through-rails. In each of said outer portions the rails of. the street-car track are indicated by the letters a, which rails are seated upon chairs 0, secured to the cross-ties T. Laid parallel with the through-rails D on each side is a channel-bar E, to which bar the rails a are connected by the angle splice-bars e and bolts 1, said bolt-s being provided with nuts 2''. If desired, however, the rails a may be welded to said channel-bars, in which case splice-bars could be dispensed with. The guards g of the rails a are cut away to a level with the head j to the points h, in order that no obstruction may be offered to the passage of overhanging snow-plows, which are sometimes attached to locomotives passing over the through-rails D.

The letters 0 0 indicate chocks between the channel-bars E and the rails D, which fit into the concavity in the side of said rails, as shown in Fig. 3. Said chocks are preferably located directly opposite the crossing-rails a; but

should said rails come opposite to a joint or splice-bar on the rails D the checks should then be placed as near to this point as pos sible. Said chocks may be attached to the channel-bars E by means of bolts 7t, having countersunk heads, which pass through one of the webs f of said channel-bars and are secured by nuts 7a in the interior of said bars. If desired, however, said chocks may be welded to the channel-bars E.

It will be observed by referring to Fig. 3

that each of the channel-bars E has one of its vertical flanges f partially cutaway or shortened, in orderto clear the lower flange of the rail D and permit the bar E to be laid in close contact with the head of said rail. Referring now to the center portion of the crossing marked B, said portion consists of two crossingmails F F and two channel-bars H H parallel with the through-rails D between said crossing-rails, and curved beyond said crossing-rails to a common junction at the points J J, at which points said channel-bars are united into one guard-piece by the splicebars 3 and bolts and nuts 5. If desired, however, said channel-bars may be welded together at either or both of the points J J. The ends of the channel-bars, though preferably thus united, may be, if desired, entirely disconnected. The crossing-rails F abut the channel-bars H H, and may be connected thereto either by the splice-bars e and bolts and nuts 6 or by being directly welded thereto. Said channel bars may, if desired, be recessed on their upper surface, as shown at cl, to allow the passage of the flanges of wheels passing over the rails F F.

Between one through-rail D and the channel-bar H of the guard-piece H H are inserted chocks O, which may be connected to said channel-bar either by means of the bolts 6 as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or by being welded thereto. On the opposite side, between the other through railD and the channel-bar H, adjustable checks w are inserted. It the chocks used on both sides were of the form of the checks 0, it would be impossible to place the center portion B in position without either removing the rails D or sliding the chocks in from the ends. It would, however, be diiticult to slide such chocks into place, and if a joint existed in the rail D it would be impossible to slide the checks past said joint. This difliculty is overcome by the use of the adjustable chocks w, Figs. 1, 5, and 6, which have one straight and one curved face or side, and are entered into the curved portion of the guard-piece H H, and atthe ends where easily accessible. By referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the chocks W are provided with recesses 02 to permit access to the bolts and nuts I), which secure them to the channel-bar I-I' through holes 0. It is obvious, however, that said chocks, instead of being made solid, as shown, and provided with recesses, could be made hollow or of skeleton form, as shown in my pending application, Serial No. 373,662, filed December 5, 1890.

It will be observed that the chocks W are not bolted to the main rails D, but only to the channel-bar H. By this construction the inner part B of the crossing can be laid between the through-rails D, pushed into place with the attached chocks 0, bearing against the web of one of said through-rails, and the adjustable chocks W then inserted from either end and attached to the guard-piece H H at an accessible point.

The purpose of the guard-piece H H is as follows: In practice there is considerable play in the trucks of steam-railroad cars passing over the rails D and consequent oscillation of the wheels from one side to the other. The bent ends of said guard-piece oifer to an approaching train something to guide its wheels into the groove between the through-rails D and the channel-bars H H, forming the guardpiece.

In railroad-crossings heretofore it has been proposed to use two rails having their ends bent to act as a guard; but such bent rails depend upon spikes to hold them in place. By uniting into one piece both of the channel-bars forming the guard-piece, as herein described, great constructive strength is secured and the whole interior portion Bof the crossing takes the impact of an approaching train instead of a portion thereof. This advantage is important, for it has been found extremely difficult to keep independent guardpieces in order.

By the construction herein described the whole crossing can be made out of rolled or forged steel or other metal and can be put into a steam-railroad track without the least disturbance of the latter.

The streetcar-track rails shown are. well known to the trade as girder-guard rails; but any other suitable form of rail maybe substituted therefor.

I do not herein broadly claim a guard-piece composed of rails united at their ends; nor do I claim the adjustable chocks WV per 36, as such features are claimed in my pending application above mentioned; but,

Having thus fully described my saidinvention, I claim 1. In a railroad-crossing, a guard-piece between the through-rails composed of channelbars curved at their ends.

2. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with two crossing-rails between the throughrails, a guard-piece composed of channel-bars curved and united at their ends.

3. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with two crossing-rails between the throughrails, a guard-piece composed of channel-bars curved at their ends, the upper surfaces of said bars being provided with recesses, as cl.

4. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with through and crossing rails, a guardpiece composed of channel-bars curved at their ends, said guard-piece being connected to the through rails, substantially as de scribed.

5. In a railroad-crossing, a guardpiece composed of channel-bars curved at their ends to form the same, in combination with a through-rail and an adjustable chock, as WV, between said rail and said guard-piece.

6. In a railroad-crossing, a guard-piece composed of channel-bars curved at their ends and provided with attached or fixed chocks, and adjustable chocks between said guard-piece and the through-rails, as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a railroad-crossing, a channel-bar, as E, parallel to the through-rails, for the purposes set forth.

8. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with two crossing-rails, a channel-bar, as E,-

for the purposes set forth.

9. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with the through and crossing rails, channelbars, as E, for the purposes set forth.

10. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of a through-rail, a crossing-rail, a channelbar, as E, and a chock or chocks between said bar and said through-rail, for the purposes set forth.

11. In a railroad-crossing, the combination, with the through and crossing rails, of channel-bars, as E, and chocks between said through-rails and said bars, for the purposes set forth.

12. In a railroad-crossing, the combination, with the through and crossing rails, of channel-bars, as E, a curved guard-piece, and a chock or chocks between said through-rails and said guard-piece.

13. In a railroad-crossing, the combination,

with the through and crossing rails, of channel-bars, as E, a curved guard-piece, and chocks between said bars and said throughrails and between said through-rails and said guard-piece.

14;. In a railroad-crossing, the combination, with the through and crossing rails, of channel-bars, as E, a curved guard-piece, chocks between said bars and said through-rails, and fixed and adjustable chocks between said through-rails and said guard-piece.

ARTHUR J. MOXI-IAM.

Witnesses:

A. J. BRYAN, J NO. MASTERTON. 

